This is the unofficial blog for the Lowestoft to Peterborough X1 bus service operated by First Group.
Originally reporting the introduction of the 'Gemini' double deckers and the phasing out of coaches, the blog is now incredibly in its sixth year and a £5 million fleet of 22 Enviro 400 luxury buses now work the service.
To contact me with your observations/experiences on the X1, email gerardtcc@gmail.com . Anonymity respected.

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15/01/2010

Tuesday 12th January 2010 ~ X1 Blog Gone Missing !

The scene on Monday evening at King's Lynn with Gemini 37564 arriving as the 19.59 arrival from Lowestoft (L11) and overtaking the 19.58 arrival from Peterborough (K5) with 20501. Please don't enlarge this pic because it is very blurred !!

Yes, I know and apologies all round ! I'm going to blame Bruce because he has a photo of Paragon 20501 I've been waiting for.

Now then Tuesday, what happened ? Well firstly those lovely Paragons and today 20500 graced K3 with 20501 doing a solid Gemini turn, K19. It would seem that they are definitely being used in preference to the B7 Geminis which have a poor reputation for heating - very noticeable lately of course - and keeping time. That thorn in the side, 60863 was still about today. Lynn despatched it on K16 and with a bit of manipulation it was removed at Lowestoft and popped on to the X2. K15, the preceding service started with 37570 and on arrival at Lowestoft 570 was replaced by 37569. This then meant 37570 could replace 60863. I can only put this down to late running as obviously it would have been much quicker to just knock out 60863 with 37569.

Trident 32854 turned up at King's Lynn on Monday - rumours that it replaced a failed X1, however, I'd heard it arrived to assist on town work as there is a shortage of buses at the moment. Nevertheless, fuelling it turned out to be a nightmare, presumably due to a fuel theft device and this evening it was sent back and 34108 arrived as replacement.

On the Gemini front, 37567 was on L11 today having received a new hub meter - the previous one having been damaged I would think. According to the cab speedo, it has now done 142k miles. Something odd happened this evening. 37570 was heading east on K16 14.35 from Peterborough and 37565 going in the opposite direction on Y13 18.48 ex Lowestoft. The pair seem to have swapped turns at Gorleston JPH at just after 19.00 to enable 565 to get back to Lowestoft for servicing.